FACEBOOK AND THE Canadian Press today announced the eight young journalists hired as part of the previously announced Facebook-Canadian Press News Fellowship, a one-year, $1-million program established to cover pressing issues in local communities across Canada.
The eight fellows (two men and six women) will join Canadian Press’ bureaus in Montreal, Halifax, Edmonton, Ottawa, Toronto, Vancouver and Iqaluit. According to the Facebook blog post announcing the selected journalists, this is CP’s first full-time correspondent in the North in 35 years.
“The Canadian Press is pleased to be part of a program that gives opportunities to young Canadians to create…
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OTTAWA — With the federal government’s consultation on repurposing the 3800 MHz spectrum band officially underway, Canadian satellite operator Telesat said Tuesday in a press release it welcomes the inclusion of Telesat’s proposal for reallocating the mid-band spectrum for 5G service use in the ministry of Innovation, Science and Economic Development’s consultation document.
Last Thursday, ISED Canada opened its consultation on repurposing 3800 MHz spectrum (also known as C-band spectrum, historically used by satellite providers), and released a 68-page consultation paper which included Telesat’s proposed approach to clear 400 MHz of spectrum in the 3650-4200 MHz band (referred to…
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TORONTO – The SOCAN Foundation today announced the launch of the Black Canadian Music Awards, in partnership with SiriusXM Canada.
The awards will recognize and celebrate the artistic merit demonstrated by Black music creators (songwriters, composers, producers, etc.) in all genres, says the press release. The inaugural awards will be presented virtually in 2020, and winners will be selected by a jury and advisory council of prominent Black artists and industry leaders, including DJ Agile as the inaugural Chair of the jury.
“The Black Canadian Music Awards are part of the SOCAN Foundation’s efforts toward advancing equity in the Canadian music…
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Additional deal would have seen Rogers get Canadian ops for $4.9 billion
By Greg O’Brien
NEW YORK – It was a fast news cycle for Cogeco on Wednesday.
The day opened with the announcement Altice USA, which owns broadband and cable providers Optimum (formerly Cablevision) and Suddenlink, among other assets, offered to buy Cogeco Inc. (CGO) and Cogeco Communications Inc. (CCA) for C$10.3 billion. It submitted the offer to Cogeco on Tuesday after the close of markets and announced it had done so before they opened on Wednesday morning.
Altice also said it entered into an arrangement to sell all of Cogeco’s Canadian…
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TORONTO — Funding by the Canada Media Fund (CMF) in its last fiscal year triggered $1.4 billion in production industry activity across the country, according to CMF’s newly published 2019-2020 annual report.
According to the CMF news release today, the report found one dollar of CMF funding generated $4.12 in production activity, the highest leverage ratio since the CMF was created in 2010. These figures illustrate the key role the CMF plays as a contributor to the creation of more than 180,000 jobs in Canada’s audiovisual sector, says the release.
Released today, the CMF 2019-2020 annual report details the various…
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NEW YORK — New York-based advertising intelligence company Standard Media Index (SMI) announced Tuesday it is growing its leadership team with its first Canadian appointment.
Jason Keown (pictured) is joining SMI as vice-president of marketing and will report to the company’s global CEO, James Fennessy. In his new role, Keown will oversee SMI’s North American marketing efforts, with a key focus on expanding the North American market.
“Standard Media Index is on an exciting growth trajectory and we are working to ensure we have the right talent in place to accelerate our business globally. Canada is our fifth global market and…
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TORONTO/MONTREAL — Due to Covid-19’s negative impact on the Canadian feature film industry, Telefilm Canada is suspending any further use of its Success Index for the 2020-2021 fiscal year, Telefilm announced in an industry advisory on Monday.
Telefilm Canada’s Success Index has been used to measure the success of films financed by the funding body, based on three weighted types of success: commercial, cultural and industrial. In addition, the Success Index also constitutes the individual company scores which determine some automatic financing amounts for the following fiscal year, and therefore Telefilm is moving all automatic financing decisions to a…
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Pandemic has accelerated structural decline and ideas abound, but government has not responded
OTTAWA — The Canadian Association of Broadcasters (CAB) today released an economic study by media economist Communications Management Inc. (CMI) which projects the possible closure of up to 40 local TV stations and 200 radio stations within the next three years.
According to CMI’s The Crisis in Canadian Media and the Future of Local Broadcasting report, within four to six months up to 50 radio stations could close, with an additional 100-150 radio stations possibly shutting down during the next six to 18 months. In addition, CMI…
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TORONTO/MONTREAL — On Wednesday, Telefilm Canada announced it has committed to investing $100,000 annually toward the creation of a Black Screen Office in Canada. The pledge was made on Monday during a meeting with Black filmmakers who have called for the creation of dedicated bureau.
“Telefilm supports the formation of an institution to expand the reach of stories and works by Black filmmakers,” said Christa Dickenson, executive director of Telefilm Canada, in the news release. “The creation of a Black Screen Office will be a concrete step in helping address the imbalances that exist within Canada’s film industry and…
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TORONTO — Members of ACTRA (the Alliance of Canadian Cinema, Television and Radio Artists) have ratified an agreement reached between the performers union and the CBC to extend the current CBC Radio and Television Agreements for a one-year period from July 1, 2020 to June 30, 2021, the union announced Monday.
The agreement extension provides Canadian performers at the CBC with a 1.5% increase to minimum fees, which will be retroactive to July 1, says the news release.
“I am delighted we were able to come to this agreement with the CBC,” said David Sparrow, ACTRA national president, in the…
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